It's a sad week for the DoomsDayAardvark family, too. To recap the story...

Muriel was the feral cat who had been a pretty much permanent fixture on my parents' front porch for the last decade. At first, she came as a companion to Hemingway, the polydactyl cat who eventually self-domesticated (he died in 2009 - complications of FIV). She came nearly every day, no matter the season. She would sometimes even bring a kitten or a "date" with her. They'd made her various little shelters to hide in during the cold months, and she'd always be there to greet them when they came home from work. This winter, after the first polar vortex, she disappeared for a few days. They were sure she'd frozen to death somewhere, but then she showed up again, looking (as my mom put it) like she'd been pulled backwards through a knothole. After that experience, she actually let them pet her for the first time. A few days later, they let her inside, and she'd spent the following few weeks living in their basement.

Finally, this week, they managed to get her into a carrier, and off to the vet, hoping that they'd found another permanent addition to the family (just as they were about to move to a new house). Unfortunately, the vet discovered that she, like Hemingway, was FIV positive, and had lost most of her top layer of fur to some mystery illness. Though still strong at the time, she was starting to fade, and with FIV, the vet didn't give her very good chances. They made the sad decision to help her pass in a warm, safe place, getting the petting she never got as a street urchin.

It's a sad week for the DoomsDayAardvark family, too. To recap the story...

Muriel was the feral cat who had been a pretty much permanent fixture on my parents' front porch for the last decade. At first, she came as a companion to Hemingway, the polydactyl cat who eventually self-domesticated (he died in 2009 - complications of FIV). She came nearly every day, no matter the season. She would sometimes even bring a kitten or a "date" with her. They'd made her various little shelters to hide in during the cold months, and she'd always be there to greet them when they came home from work. This winter, after the first polar vortex, she disappeared for a few days. They were sure she'd frozen to death somewhere, but then she showed up again, looking (as my mom put it) like she'd been pulled backwards through a knothole. After that experience, she actually let them pet her for the first time. A few days later, they let her inside, and she'd spent the following few weeks living in their basement.

Finally, this week, they managed to get her into a carrier, and off to the vet, hoping that they'd found another permanent addition to the family (just as they were about to move to a new house). Unfortunately, the vet discovered that she, like Hemingway, was FIV positive, and had lost most of her top layer of fur to some mystery illness. Though still strong at the time, she was starting to fade, and with FIV, the vet didn't give her very good chances. They made the sad decision to help her pass in a warm, safe place, getting the petting she never got as a street urchin.

It's a sad week for the DoomsDayAardvark family, too. To recap the story...

Muriel was the feral cat who had been a pretty much permanent fixture on my parents' front porch for the last decade. At first, she came as a companion to Hemingway, the polydactyl cat who eventually self-domesticated (he died in 2009 - complications of FIV). She came nearly every day, no matter the season. She would sometimes even bring a kitten or a "date" with her. They'd made her various little shelters to hide in during the cold months, and she'd always be there to greet them when they came home from work. This winter, after the first polar vortex, she disappeared for a few days. They were sure she'd frozen to death somewhere, but then she showed up again, looking (as my mom put it) like she'd been pulled backwards through a knothole. After that experience, she actually let them pet her for the first time. A few days later, they let her inside, and she'd spent the following few weeks living in their basement.

Finally, this week, they managed to get her into a carrier, and off to the vet, hoping that they'd found another permanent addition to the family (just as they were about to move to a new house). Unfortunately, the vet discovered that she, like Hemingway, was FIV positive, and had lost most of her top layer of fur to some mystery illness. Though still strong at the time, she was starting to fade, and with FIV, the vet didn't give her very good chances. They made the sad decision to help her pass in a warm, safe place, getting the petting she never got as a street urchin.

My remaining girl, Razz (short for Rasputin; named by ex due to her right ear being folded and messed up) looks rather similar to your girl. Razz is a stray, so I can't pin down her breed/type. What would you call Sophie?

For all of you Caturday family members with sads this week, whether the loss was human or furry, may I offer as many (((((hugs))))) as I can in the hopes that it brings just a moment of comfort to you all.

Grieve as you must, but remember to occasionally turn your face to the sun, close your eyes, and breathe.Remember the love you shared, hold it closely to your heart, and keep moving.

sno man:SherpaI am so sad for you right now, many of us have faced similar struggles at various times with our own furry friends, and when someone we care about is going through that, it brings back memories of our own trials with hopes of extracting some sage advice...Dragon couldn't have picked a more caring human, and will let you know if and when.I'm afraid that's maybe not exactly sage advice, but I keep getting distracted with all the dust flying around over here..

valnt9:I am putting together a list of Caturdayians who do not play on FB who would want an e-mail update on Dragon. Sherpa has said he will keep me up to date so I can post on FB, but I'll also mail anyone who wants to be kept in the loop. EIP.

My laotop went all funny on me (still trying to stop laughting) so I will send this again just in case...

A) Please put me on this or any other list of news via email for Caturday-related topics. EIP.

III) I got Totally Farked again. Hooray! My thanks tp the generous benafactor that graced me with another months worth of snarky snark and the fungible bunch, lube and lascivious lolcats, and painfully pertinent puns. I thank you from the bottom of my heart and vice versa.

/today started moderately meh//getting better and better as the drink, err day wears on

alice_600, owe you another from Lifetime Ago during spouse Plumbicon's Ntl Svc. 1st cat we adopted in WBerlin which once had Wall round it, was Gretl, big seal tortie with gt golden eyes & cream tip to tail's end I wish I/we cd find pix of. She weighed 20 lb, sadly didn't survive return to US in 1978 by more than ~2 yrs. Bones rest behind garage of House in City along with Cheeky's, Brit cat adopted from one of HMEIIR Elizabeth's Service forces families (C was best cat ever for/to us!), who survived til 1993, close to 20.Anyhoo, Them Prosetylisers made rounds of US service quarters in 1970s too. Hadn't cared for Gretl long, but Right Place @ Right Time. Held her in my arms as answered door & replied, "We've recently become devotees of Lady Bastet the Cat Goddess, who's done some wonderful things for us lately." Prosetyliser didn't quite run, but backed away as steadily as could. ha hi & ;-p!!!Cat highly resembling Gretl owns someone here, furrgot who, unable to quickly find pic nor even recall what folder or sub-f it lives in. Sing-cerely Regret That. Please Engage Your Stan Freberg Inspired Imagination(s), fang-q very mulch.type at ft of pg9 btw

We just lost this sweet girl last Caturday, after 15 years of companionship. Miss her so much - never realized how many times a day we touched and laughed and interacted... Caterina Predicate Underfoot.

She loved the music in our home, she loved her man and took such good care of him for so long, best comfort EVAR

TheotherMguy reminds me I owe MaudlinMutantMollusk a FangQ, wish cd recall what furr --Meanwhile, nother Rotating MainPg Linkie, http://www.buzzfeed.com/h2/shfk/jaguar/sidekicks-who-totally-deserve- t heir-due; 12 of 'em. There was one yesterday summat like 13 happy dogs that sadly went walkaboot. It'll be back, later or sooner.Chaos is quite handsome guy; not good feline age judge, but kinda looks youngish. Compliments due!

Cali of GangOf5 stars in this. Luckily no one's been injured lately, but this ought come outta where 'tis for Use When Needed. Zero clue when shot; kinda leapt at me from desultory pix collection. Actually sought Gretl resembly, illogically. These all locals.

alice_600:Grandma O finally left this world for the next last night with us all there. I want to thank you guys from the bottom of my heart for your support, advice and putting up with me being an annoying twat waffle these past months. You guys deserve sainthood you know that?

No sweat, Alice. That's what Caturday families are for.

/don't need to give me beetification//actually, I don't think it's even possible to even get me near heaven///reek of whiskey fumes and hooker perfumes

Real Women Drink Akvavit:God morgen! I've been awake for HOURS and am tired and cranky and owie - but not owie enough to take the heavy duty pills. Suckage! Bring it ALL on or leave me be, dammit! I've decided to go to the store and buy more baking supplies instead and then maybe I'll be owie enough to take the heavy duty pills. If not, I'll actually start baking. Then I'll get so tired so fast I'll fall right back to sleep in no time flat, so either way, it's the closest to a "win" I'm going to get right now.

I hope everyone else is having a good day, and if not, that it gets better - or at least as good as it can be and the sads and owies and sicks are behind you as quickly as possible.

Easter is coming up next month. Apparently that means it's time to dress your hedgehog. I'm going to need a hedgehog...[www.chillhour.com image 700x525]

Wut's with all the bunny ears on the pets lately? Is Drew hosting the Cadburry Easter Egg pitchmancritter tryouts? And if so, how much is he getting paid? And if he is getting paid, is he sharing some of it with us Caturdayans? And if he's sharing it, wut's my cut, 'cause I could really use the beer money.

/I REFUSE to put on bunny pajamas//not without a cabbage mask///and lots of REALLY SPECIAL Xmas presents

omg how do you do this? I've been making some demotivators with animated gifs but they've been too big to post.

I'm sure there must be an easier way, but to make that one I performed a Q&D hatchet job pasting text boxes onto individual frames in layers in Photoshop Elements. :op

This site is great for resizing animated gifs: http://ezgif.com/resize (thanks to Sherpa18 for the tip). You can crop off file-bloating edge bits, re-scale image dimensions, simplify colour palette, etc. It even tells you how big the resulting file size will be in the output samples, so you can keep whittling down until you get below the Fark 1024K threshold. Very handy!

wakitu:[img.fark.net image 850x637]We just lost this sweet girl last Caturday, after 15 years of companionship. Miss her so much - never realized how many times a day we touched and laughed and interacted... Caterina Predicate Underfoot.[img.fark.net image 850x637]

She loved the music in our home, she loved her man and took such good care of him for so long, best comfort EVAR

wakitu:[img.fark.net image 850x637]We just lost this sweet girl last Caturday, after 15 years of companionship. Miss her so much - never realized how many times a day we touched and laughed and interacted... Caterina Predicate Underfoot.[img.fark.net image 850x637]

She loved the music in our home, she loved her man and took such good care of him for so long, best comfort EVAR

[img.fark.net image 368x357]

so sorry for your loss. She seems like a really sweet kitteh. It looks like you have some excellent photos to remember her with!

My condolences and symathies to all the people here who lost loved ones, four-legged or otherwise, in the last week. May the rainbow bridge ring with happiness and cheer when you all finally meet up there with each other.